Sylvester Stallone Denies Dog Was Cause of Divorce Amid Rumors

Actor Sylvester Stallone and his wife, Jennifer Flavin, are divorcing after 25 years of marriage, and there is some confusion as to whether or not their dog had anything to do with it.

TMZ reported that sources close to the couple said that Stallone wanted to get a Rottweiler for the family for protection, but Flavin reportedly did not want the dog. The sources stated that an argument was triggered that dug up other issues, leading to Flavin filing for divorce on August 19.

Adding fuel to the fire, many noticed that Stallone covered up a large tattoo he had of Flavin on his bicep with a tattoo of Butkus, his Rottweiler from Rocky, just days before Flavin actually filed for divorce.

While many questioned whether the couple's long marriage was ended because of the dog, Stallone reportedly told TMZ that the dog was not the cause of their split.

He said that while they did discuss how they would take care of the dog, given they tend to split time between their homes in Los Angeles and Palm Beach, Stallone said, "We did not end the relationship on such a trivial argument."

"We just went in different directions. I have the highest respect for Jennifer. I will always love her. She's an amazing woman. She's the nicest human being I've ever met," Stallone added.

As for the tattoo, a representative for Stallone reportedly stated that the Rocky actor had "intended to refresh the tattoo image of his wife Jennifer however the results were unsatisfactory and, unfortunately, unfixable."

"Mr. Stallone loves his family. The Stallones are presently filming a reality show together which will debut on Paramount+," the representative added.

The pair were planning to film a reality TV show featuring them and their three daughters, Sophia, 25, Sistine, 24, and Scarlet Stallone, 20. It is currently unclear if the divorce will affect the show, which was set to premiere in December.

Court documents viewed by TMZ also state that Flavin accused Stallone of "moving assets from marital funds," and asked for an injunction from the court to stop him from moving assets while the proceedings were ongoing.

Still, both Flavin and Stallone have expressed a need for privacy while they work through the divorce.

The former model shared a statement to People on Wednesday stating, "I'm sad to announce that after 25 years of marriage I have filed for divorce from my husband Sylvester Stallone. While we will no longer be married, I will always cherish the more than 30-year relationship that we shared, and I know we are both committed to our beautiful daughters. I ask for privacy for our family as we amicably move forward."

Newsweek reached out to a representative for Stallone for further comment.